Switch-throwing device.



J. TOTH.

SWITCH THROWING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1911.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,,WASHINCITON. n. c,

J. TOTH.

SWITCH THROWING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 20, 1911 3 SHEETSSHBBT 2.

Paiented Sept.2,1913.

m uvm WITNESSES:

A TTORNEYJL COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM C0.. WASHINGTON. n, c.

J. TOTH.

SWITCH THROWING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.20, 1911.

1 ,O71 ,826, Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

3 SHEETS-8111131 3.

COLUMBIA vLANonn/um CO.,WASHINOT\7N. l). c.

JOHN TOIH, or JOLIET, ILLINOIS.

SWITCH-THROWING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1 913.

Application filed April 20, 1911. Serial No. 622,239.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, J on Tom, a subject ofthe King of Hungary, residing at Joliet, in the county of WVill andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSwitch-'lln-owing Devices, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a switch throwing device, and the objects ofmy invention are to provide automatic means for throwing a switch whilea train is in motion, and novel means for restoring the switch to itsnormal position after a train has passed over the same.

Other objects of my invention are to provide a switch throwing devicethat can be used in connection with a semaphore or visible signal, andto accomplish the above results by a device that is simple inconstruction, applicable to the present type of railroad equipment andhighly etlicient for insuring the safe passage of trains over tracks.

WVith the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to behereinafter specifically described and then claimed, and reference willnow be had to the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan of a switchthrowing device in accordance with this invention, Fig. 2 is an enlargedplan of the track equipment, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view ofthe same, Fig. 4t is a front elevation of the train equipment, Fig. 5 isa side elevation of the same, Fig. 6 is an enlarged ver tical sectionalview of a signal forming part of the switch throwing device, and Fig. 7is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. The reference numeral 1denotes ties or sleepers adapted to support rails 2 and 3, the rails 2representing a main track and the rails 3 the same track or a sidingtrack located some distance from the main track 2, in order to providesufficient space for a switch adapted to control the passage of a trainon the main and siding tracks.

Mounted upon the ties 1 between the main rails 2 are the lateral flanges4c of a casing 5 adapted to fit between the ties 1. The casing 5 has asemicircular recess (3 and mounted. upon said casing at the sides of therecess 6 are bearings 7 for a shaft 8, said shaft extending through oneof the main ads 2 into bearings 9, carried by a frame 10 located to oneside of the main track.

Mounted upon the shaft 8 in the recess 6 is an auxiliary actuating wheel11. having a plurality of equally spaced radially disposed arms 12 andan integral pinion 113. The pinion 13 can have circunlferentiallyarranged teeth or conform to a sector-gear, the former being preferable,said pinion meshing with a longitudinal rack 14. movably mounted uponrollers 15 arranged in sockets 16 provided therefor in the casing 5. Thecasing has longitudinally alining openings 17 providing clearance forthe rack 14. The rack 14 is pivotally connected, as at 18 to a reach-rod19. The rod 19 is pivotally connected, as at 20 to a lever 21 fulcrumedupon a pin 22 mounted transversely of an extension 23 of a casing 24.The casing 24 is located between the rails 3 and has a recess 25,similar to the casing 5.

Mounted upon the casing 24 are bearings 26 for a shaft 27 and mountedupon the shaft 27 is a main actuating wheel 28 having radially disposedarms 29 corresponding in number to the arms 12 of the actuating wheel11. The shaft 27 has a crank 30 and this crank is pivotally connected bya rod 31 to the lever 21. The rod 81 extends through an opening 33provided therefor in the casing 24.

The shaft 8 within the frame 10 has crank portions 33 and 3 1 and thesecrank portions are connected by links 35 to rods 36 which are connected,as at 37 to racks 38 and 39. The racks 3S and 39 extend through openingsprovided therefor in a housing d0 mounted upon a base 41, adjacent tothe juncture of the rails 2 and 3 or at the switch controlling thepassage of a train over said rails. The racks are movably supported uponrollers .1-2 arranged in bearings 43, carried by the base L1, and saidracks mesh with large pinions si l; and 4-5 loosely mounted upon a shaft46 mounted in a bearing 47 provided therefor in the housing 40. Theloosely mounted pinions have the confronting faces thereof provided withsector-gears l8 and these gears mesh with a horizontal beveled gearwheel 4-1) mounted upon a vertical signal shaft 50 rotatably supportedby the bearing 17. The upper end of the shaft extends through an opening51 provided therefor in the housing 410, said shaft having balance armsand a visible signal or lantern 53. The lower end of the shaft isrevolubly supported in a hearing 5% provided therefor in the base 4:1,and

mounted upon the lower end of the shaft is a disk 55 to which can beconnected a switch throwing rod 56 for throwing the switch ing alongitudinally extending portion 61 and a horizontally disposed portion61 and a lever 62. The lever 62 extends through a curved guide 63,carried by the support (Set of the bracket 57. The curved guide 63 hasflat springs 65 upon the inner side thereof and at the ends for holdingthe lever 62 in an adjusted position.

To throw the switch tongue, the lever 62 is swung to the upper ends ofthe guides 63 and is held thereby with the L-shaped arm lowered. Thehorizontal portion (31 of the L-shaped arm is then in the path of one ofthe arms 29 of the actuating wheel 28 of the track equipment. When oneof the arms 29 is struck, by the horizontal portion 61 of the L-shapedarm the actuating wheel 28 is partially rotated, and through the mediumof the rods 31 and 19 and the lever 21, the rack 14 is shifted. Whenthis rack is shifted the actuating wheel 11 is moved to rotate the shaft8, and as said shaft is rotated, the racks 38 and 39 are moved. Theseracks through the medium of the pinions a l: and 4:5, sector gears 48and gear wheel 4.9 partially rotate the shaft 50. In partially rotatingthe shaft 50, the switch tongue is thrown through the medium of the rod56 and the signal 53 is set. 7

As the actuating wheel 11 is located some distance from the wheel 28,the actuating wheel 11 will not be engaged by the horizontal portion 61of the L-shaped arm until the locomotive or train has passed over thewhile in the drawings there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it

"is to be understoodthat the structural elements thereof are susceptibleto such changes as fall within'the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is A switch throwing device comprising a main and anauxiliary actuating wheel spaced from each other and adapted to beoperated in unison, radial contact arms projecting from each of saidactuating wheels, casings with basin shaped sockets therein, said wheelstrunnioned upon the tops of said casings and extending within saidsockets, the casing of said main wheel having alining openingstherethrough communicating with said socket, said auxiliary wheelprovided with a reduced side having teeth conforming to a sector-gear, alongitudinal rack engaging with said teeth and extending through saidopenings, a reach rod connected to said rack, a lever pivoted at one endto said reach rod, a shaft upon which said main actuating wheel ismounted, a crank projecting from said shaft, a rod attached to saidcrank and to the other arm of said lever, a vertically disposed switchrod operating shaft, and an operativ-e connection between said lastmentioned shaft and said auxiliary wheel for shifting said shaft whenthe wheels are actuated by means carried by a traveling vehicle.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature v in the presence of twowitnesses.

, JOHN TOTH.

\Vitnesses: LoUs NUNn'rH, GYoReYs RETI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

